Fort Church (Rhode Island)
| Fort Church | |
|---|---|
| Part of Harbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay | |
| Little Compton, Rhode Island | |
 Fort Church
Location in Rhode Island
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| Coordinates | 41°28′46″N 71°11′00″W / 41.47944°N 71.18333°WCoordinates: 41°28′46″N 71°11′00″W / 41.47944°N 71.18333°W |
| Type | Coastal Defense |
| Site information | |
| Owner | various |
| Controlled by | various |
| Condition | buried |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| Built by | United States Army |
| In use | 1942-1948 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Fort Church was a World War II United States Army coastal defense fort in Little Compton, Rhode Island. Together with Fort Greene near Point Judith, it superseded all previous heavy gun defenses in the Harbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay.
Fort Church was built as part of a general modernization of US coast defenses begun in 1940 with the outbreak of war in Europe and the Fall of France. The fort was named for Colonel Benjamin Church (1639-1718), considered a forerunner of the United States Army Rangers and buried in Little Compton. The goal was to replace all previous heavy weapons, many of which were over 35 years old, with long-range 16"/50 caliber Mark 2 guns. Lighter weapons would be replaced by 6-inch guns on high-angle shielded barbette carriages. Ammunition magazines and the 16-inch guns would be in casemated bunkers to protect against air attack. Fort Church also had a rare casemated 8-inch gun battery.
The fort was intended to protect the approaches to Narragansett Bay and its easternmost arm, called the Sakonnet River, as part of the Harbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay. It was mirrored by Fort Greene near Point Judith.
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